Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) 1st & 5th

I am researching the young men from Eastham Wirral who died in WW2 and are on our memorial and have come across details of 2 young men from Eastham who both joined the Black Watch although in different Battalions. The Black Watch Regiment seems so far away from the Wirral, can anyone help me understand how young men were allocated to different regiments at that time? The Cheshires or the Kings Liverpool would have appeared more local.

The men in question are Private James Robert Fear (14584167) who was killed on 28th June 1944 and Lance Corporal H A Billington (14435148) who died on 28th August 1944.

I am involved in organising an exhibition about the young men from Eastham who died in WW2 for Remembrance Week this year and so any information about these young men and what action they were involved in that led to their deaths would really be appreciated.
(All the money raised is going to Help for Heroes)

Hoping you can help
Best wishes
Stegfish

 

Stegfish
again these were very young men who had not been in the army for long before they met their deaths - Fear in the 1st batt Black Watch was in 154 Brigade of 51st Division which landed on 7th June '44 and he was killed at probably Raurey in the prologue to the operation Epsom as that strted on June 25th with 49th Div and 1 5th Scottish and I suspect the 51st joined in around that time a they were upagainst three Panzer Divsions - he is buried at Manveau along with my cousin from the 11th DLI's - he was Scot in the DLI' !

two months later Billington was killed with the 153 Bde of 51st Div and while he is buried at St Dister(?)I can't find that cemetery but suspet it was on the coastas by that time the 51st were with 3rd canadian clearing the coast ports.
Cheers

 

I appreciatte this response is a little late, but you can find more information about Harry on my website A memorial to George Hildred